Support for the prospective presidential bid of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in 2022 is gaining ground as five political parties are ready to coalesce with her Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP).

HNP spokesman Anthony del Rosario said the five political parties that are ready to form an alliance with them are the Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), National Unity Party, Nacionalista Party, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino and People’s Reform Party.

“We hope that the five national parties’ coalition will be able to provide the machinery needed for us to make Sara run as president,” del Rosario told reporters.

“When it comes to a national election, machinery and organization are important and we hope, assuming everything falls into place, wala tayong mga (we have no) major issues with regards to the coalition, we hope that the national parties, the five of them, would be able help us secure a win in 2022 for Mayor Sara,” he added.

The Lakas-CMD was one of the first to express its support for Sara Duterte’s 2022 presidential bid while officials with the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) loyal to President Rodrigo Duterte are also supporting the Davao City mayor’s contention for president. President Duterte is the party’s chairman.

However, the PDP-Laban is currently divided as a faction allied with party president and Senator Manny Pacquiao recently expelled three officials for expressing support for Sara Duterte’s presidential bid in 2022. Among those who were expelled was PDP-Laban Vice Chairman and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who has the backing of President Duterte.